Good morning.

As we head into intercession and anticipate the start of the Fall 2007 semester, I want to let you know what we’ve been doing to make the student experience the best it can possibly be for everyone entering or returning to UNM.

One of my first directives as President was establishing a division of enrollment management and an office of institutional diversity, each to be headed up by a vice president who would be responsible for the performance of these important functions.

Enrollment Management will oversee admissions and recruitment, scholarships, financial aid, and the registrar. What that will soon mean for students is a one-stop shopping experience. We want them to spend less time getting into school and more time enjoying the challenge and the fun of collegiate life. Enrollment management will also take the lead in developing plans to improve retention and graduation rates. Too many of our students don’t stick it out until graduation. We’re going to find out why and change that dynamic.

Terry Babbitt will serve as interim vice president for enrollment management while a national search for a permanent VP takes place this fall. There will be no job more important than Terry’s for the next several weeks as we enter the new academic year. So if he asks for your help, please give it. The executive leadership team and I will be on call to do the same.

Meanwhile, Rita Martinez-Purson, who has served as dean of Continuing Education for the past several years, has been named the interim vice president of institutional diversity.

She will be calling on faculty, staff and students to engage in a dialogue that will shape the office and its initiatives. We already know we want more diversity in the administration and among the faculty. It is Rita’s goal to have a plan in place by December. We’ll be talking about this more through the semester.

The folks at Human Resources are gearing up for their big Sneak Preview next week. For the first time ever, most (about 99%) employees will be able to view their pay stubs online and make sure the data is accurate before the Banner HR/Payroll project goes live next January. You’ll be getting more details from HR this week. Take part if you can. It will be a good way to test the system’s readiness, work out the bugs and ensure you get paid on time.

Finally, the first-ever Indigenous Soccer Cup will be played at Johnson Field all this week, with 23 Native teams from the U.S. and Canada. Go by and cheer  them on.

Have a good week.

Good morning.

It’s the final week of the summer session, so congratulations to our faculty and students who’ve just about completed this particular challenge. Teaching or taking summer classes, when your friends are taking a break, require a ton of discipline and personal initiative. You’re to be commended. Remember that as you’re cramming for finals or grading final papers this week. We’ll be pulling for you.

A number of UNM educators who work with public service and community engagement projects will meet today in Albuquerque with their colleagues from around the state. They’ll be discussing how federal and state work-study funds can be used to boost community service among college students. It’s something Lt. Governor Diane Denish and other state leaders have been advocating and it’s something worth pursuing. You’ll be hearing more about this.

UNM is a sponsor and co-host of the Institute for Higher Education Policy Summer Academy this week at Tamaya. The aim of this Washington, D.C. -based Institute is promoting student access and student success, which happen to also be the foundations of our new vision for UNM. A number of us will be making presentations based on the theme, “Cultivating Access and Success for Students of Color.” This will be a great opportunity to share our vision with colleagues from around the country.

Hard to believe, but Lobo football season begins in about a month. It’s a favorite time of year. If you’re a fan, remember that season tickets for faculty and staff are 50 percent off and full-time students can get into the home games free. That ought to be something to look forward to during the coming dog days of August.

Have a good week. Good luck on your finals.

David J. Schmidly

Good morning.

A couple of weeks ago, I told you we were in a number of retreats. Actually, that wasn’t the proper term, because we have been advancing.

This past week, the executive leadership team spent a positive and productive day mapping out a strategic working plan for the university that will carry it from this foundational first year through the next five years. I will discuss their work with the Regents in August, as we are tying our work plans and measurements directly to the goals set out by the Regents. We will also be sharing this work with student, faculty and staff leadership.  Our aim is to have a working plan to present to the campus by the end of the summer.

The statewide listening tour began in a big way with our visit to Hobbs last week.  What we heard loud and clear is that eastern New Mexico wants to see UNM establish much more of a presence there and not ignore the fact that most of their young people are heading east to Texas Tech.  I made a commitment that UNM would be taking immediate action and we are.  Within a couple of weeks, UNM will announce that it is opening and staffing an office in Hobbs that will work on recruitment and community outreach in southeastern New Mexico.  Details will follow.

In case you didn’t know, our new baseball coach, Ray Birmingham, is much beloved in Hobbs. The New Mexico Junior College baseball park is even named after him.  Ray is quite a guy.  They’re sorry to lose him and we’re lucky to have him.

To me, there is little more exciting than a big-time in-state rivalry between two universities.  That’s why I’m looking forward to the Rio Grande Rivalry that we
announced Friday evening with President Martin and the folks from NMSU.  The rivalry will be played out in head-to-head athletic competition between the two schools with a trophy to be awarded each year.  But you’ll see that it will bring more exposure to both of our campuses as well.

This week, we are honored to have the All Indian Pueblo Council hold its meeting at the law school.  Several of us from UNM will attend.  I will also be visiting the staff at African American Student Services before attending a gathering of African American community leaders for what I trust will be an enlightening exchange of ideas.

Finally, many of you know that our colleague and great friend Terry Yates, vice president for research, has taken ill.  Our prayers and best wishes go out to him and to his family. Terry, you are never far from our thoughts.

Sincerely,

David J. Schmidly

Good morning.

This is a week for road trips.  The statewide listening tour I’ve been telling you about kicks off Thursday in Hobbs. Now you’re probably questioning why anyone would travel to Hobbs in the middle of July. I see all of eastern New Mexico as an area rich in talented students - all too many of whom turn farther east to Texas Tech rather than choosing to stay in their home state. We’re going to work hard to turn that trend around. UNM has some good friends and alumni in Lea County.  Our goal is to make many more.

Regent Don Chalmers and the Rio Rancho Chamber of Commerce have invited several of us from UNM to their meeting at noon today.  We will brief business and community leaders on our plans for the new campus in their city.  Time permitting, I hope to drive out and see the site near the new City Centre.  Rio Rancho will be one of the biggest opportunities and challenges facing UNM in the coming years. We intend to do it right.

The executive leadership team will be in retreat all day Wednesday.  We will be working on the vision and work plan that I will take to the Regents in early August.  On Friday, we’ll host the folks from NMSU as we announce the “The Rio Grande Rivalry.”  More on that next week.

Finally, my friend and leadership coach Ron Kessler sent out an email on the 4th of July that I’d like to share in part with you.  On Independence Day, he was talking about a Declaration of Interdependence: “Let’s begin a conversation about a Declaration of Interdependence and cultivating an attitude of selflessness.  It begins with thinking of the other.  It is applying our self awareness to our social and external communities. Interdependence is harder than independence.  (The paradox is that we need both.)  Truth, trust and transparency are foundations of interdependence. John Maxwell writes about it in a leadership sense as “valuing interdependence over independence”, “displaying loyalty”, “avoiding internal politics” (hidden agendas) and “being generous” (giving freely of our time to serve others).  Interestingly, this attitude releases even more innovation, creativity, productivity and authenticity.

I doubt that we will ever have an Interdependence Day.  Maybe what we should do is just make every day a little more about interdependence and see what sort of revolution that starts.  Think about it.”

We will, Ron.

Have a great week.

David J. Schmidly

Good morning.

Many of us can look forward to a short week this week, what with the Fourth of July.  If you’re taking some extra time off around the holiday, my best wishes to you.  Have fun. The rest of us will be staying busy.

I met with the Deans last Friday and as expected, learned a lot more about the University of New Mexico.  I applaud these individuals for their vision and greatly appreciate their candor.  The executive leadership team and I can look forward to several frank and enlightening discussions with them.

Last week, I also had the opportunity to meet one of UNM’s favorite sons, Brian Urlacher.  I am very impressed with this young man. Brian is a credit to UNM and would be with or without his obvious success.

It’s the season for retreats.  We’ve been preparing for upcoming sessions with both the executive leadership team and with our Regents.  The goal is to have our vision, game plan and solidified team in place by the end of the summer.

So when I talk to groups, as I did to the Advancement management team last week, inevitably the topic turns to anticipated change in the workplace. And invariably I’m reminded of Spencer Johnson’s marvelous little book, Who Moved My Cheese?  I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t read it. It’s a simple story that you can get through in less than an hour, but it definitely provides food for thought - “new cheese,” if you will. We all should remember that change can mean we’ll gain something, not lose anything. It depends on how you choose to think about it. (pg. 59)  It’s also best to enjoy the change, savor the adventure and be ready to change again.  Because they keep moving the cheese! (pg. 74)

I think the more we break down any silos, the more we communicate and the more we trust, we will then be more ready to embrace the culture change at this university.  And the better it will be for our students.  That’s the bottom line.

Have a good week and a great holiday.

David J. Schmidly